Journalism
www.media.illinois.edu/journalism/Director of Graduate Studies: Rich Martin
119 Gregory Hall
810 South Wright Street
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-0709
Administrative E-mail: d-king6@illinois.edu
Academic E-mail: richmart@illinois.edu
Major: Journalism
Degrees Offered: M.S.
Joint Degree Program: the Master of Science in Journalism can be earned jointly with the following
Degrees Offered:
J.D. in Law
M.B.A. in Business Administration
Graduate Degree Program
The Department of Journalism offers a graduate program leading to the Master of Science degree. The department does not offer a Ph.D. degree. For the program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy in Communications, see Communications and Media.
Admission
Applicants must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution or one of recognized standing abroad. A grade point average of 3.0 (A = 4.0) is the minimum requirement for admission to the Graduate College, with exceptions by petition only. Because the master’s program has an enrollment ceiling, some applicants with grade point averages of 3.0 or higher may not be admitted. The program places a strong emphasis on journalism, and candidates who are accepted are most often those with a demonstrated interest in practicing journalism. It is imperative that all applicants supply writing samples. Letters of recommendation and the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are required. If possible, an interview with the head of the department or director of graduate studies is also helpful. A minimum score of 600 is required on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (250 on the computer-based test). IELTS scores must be 6.5 and 6 or higher on any/all sub-sections. Students are typically admitted in the fall semester.
Degree Requirements
*For additional details and requirements refer to the department and the Graduate College Handbook.
Master of Science
| Required Courses: | Required Hours |
|---|---|
| Master's Pro-seminar | 4 |
| Issues in Journalism | 2 |
| Special Topics: Readings | 2-3 |
| A professional option approved by the department | 16 |
| Additional elective courses | 3 min |
| Research/Project/Independent Study Hours (min/max applied toward degree): | 4 |
| Total Hours | 32 |
Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: |
12 |
| Other Requirements:* | |
| Minimum GPA: | 2.875 |
Candidates without undergraduate work in Journalism or equivalent professional experience are required to complete either the standard news-editorial sequence or the standard broadcast journalism sequence.
Joint Degree Program
In order to be considered for the joint degree program in Journalism, students must apply to and be accepted by both programs. Students graduate from both programs simultaneously, upon meeting all the requirements listed below.
Journalism and M.B.A.
| Required Courses: | Required Hours |
|---|---|
| MBA 500, 501, 502 | 20 |
| MBA 503, 504, 505 | 20 |
| Area of concentration in M.B.A. | 16 |
| Free electives in M.B.A. | 4 |
| Journalism M.S. requirements listed above | 32 |
| Total Hours | 92 |
Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: |
72 |
| Other Requirements:* | |
| Students in joint degree programs must be registered as full-time MBA students for a minimum of three semesters | |
| Minimum GPA: | 2.875 |
Journalism and J.D.
| Required Courses: | Required Hours |
|---|---|
| Requirements for the J.D. in Law (up to 15 hours of which may be fulfilled by Journalism coursework) | 90 |
| Journalism M.S. requirements listed above (4-16 hours may be satisfied with Law coursework depending on Journalism experience) | 32 |
| Minimum Total Hours | 91 |
Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall in both programs: |
75 |
| Other Requirements:* | |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
Financial Aid
See the description of the University fellowship and tuition and service fee waiver program in the introductory section of this site. Most assistantships (teaching or research) are awarded on a quarter-time basis and carry a waiver of tuition, service fee, AFMFA fee, Library/Technology fee, health service fee, and partial payment of the student health insurance fee. To be considered for financial aid, applications, including transcripts and three letters of recommendation, must be received no later than February 1. Students with journalism degrees or professional experience may become candidates for part-time positions in other units of the University that require journalistic skills in writing, editing, and/or photography and graphics.